


I'm Just Helping

by Mr_Pinniped



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Hogwarts Mystery
Genre: Care of Magical Creatures, F/M, Fluff, Good Slytherins, Hogwarts students - Freeform, Meet-Cute, Slytherin, Video Game: Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, dyslexic character, leetle, teenage crushes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-04
Updated: 2018-11-04
Packaged: 2019-08-17 17:36:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16520939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mr_Pinniped/pseuds/Mr_Pinniped
Summary: A broken tree branch allows Barnaby Lee and Liz Tuttle to finally get to know each other.





	I'm Just Helping

Barnaby Lee liked ants.Ants were always crawling around- sometimes in an ordered line, sometimes all over the place.It was interesting to watch them, Barnaby thought.Especially when he was upset.He sighed and settled onto his stomach in the mulchy earth below a tree, watching the ants crawl up and down.They were in a line today, but Barnaby couldn’t see where it went.He didn’t particularly care, really.He just liked watching them, with their six scurrying legs carrying them along, up and down.It was calming.He rested his chin on his hands.Today’s Care of Magical Creatures Class had been rough.Barnaby usually loved Care of Magical Creatures.The creatures themselves were always interesting to work with, of course, and Professor Kettleburn hardly ever wrote anything on the board.It was easy to listen when professors talked.But when they were writing, Barnaby could never remember what they wrote.Even if he copied it down, re-reading his notes was rarely edifying. 

Edifying.That was a new word Barnaby had learned yesterday, from his friend Connor Murgatroyd.The Ravenclaw boy had befriended Barnaby back in third year, and didn’t mind helping with homework.Sometimes he used big words that Barnaby didn’t understand, but he would always stop and explain them if Barnaby asked.Connor’s best friend Rowan Khanna studied with them too, sometimes, reading the textbook out loud.Connor always said that going over the lessons to Barnaby helped him remember the details, and Rowan just seemed to like reading textbooks. 

Today, though, Connor and Rowan hadn’t been able to help.Professor Kettleburn had assigned different groups than usual in Care of Magical Creatures Class, and Barnaby had been obliged to work with Merula Snyde, with whom he was no longer friends.They had been tasked to observe and draw a particularly fidgety krup.Barnaby didn’t really like drawing, and it was even harder when he couldn’t fix his mistakes because Merula had stolen his eraser.Barnaby had tried to work with the third member of their group, fellow Slytherin Ivan Ahlgren, but the short, slight, boy generally avoided conversation, and had tucked himself into a corner where he focused on his own drawing and nothing else.Barnaby spent the class trying to draw the krup and tune out Merula’s constant droning about how her drawing was going to be the best in the class and she really could be an artist if she wasn’t such an accomplished student, and how she really pitied Barnaby’s drawing.It had left him feeling stressed and drained.

He readjusted on the forest floor.Watching the ants was relaxing, though.Just scuttling up and down the tree bark, over leaves, under roots.It was peaceful.He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes.

Suddenly, there was a loud CRACK just above him.With reflexes honed by years of living in a Death Eater household, he was on his feet in an instant, and suddenly had an armful of his fellow Slytherin fourth-year Liz Tuttle.He staggered under the impact and they landed in a heap on the ground.Barnaby suddenly became aware that his left hand was very firmly on her upper thigh, just below her rump.He quickly scooted away from her, shoving his hands into his pockets.They blinked at each other for a moment.

Liz brushed some leaves and twigs out of her braided hair.“Hi Barnaby!Sorry I fell on you.” She glanced up at the tree.“Guess the branch wasn’t as strong as it looked.”

“What were you doing up there?” asked Barnaby.

“There’s a robin’s nest up there,” Liz explained, “A cat nearly caught the male a couple weeks ago.He was injured, and I wasn’t sure if the same healing spells that work on humans work on animals.But I managed to help him, and bring him back.His mate seemed to appreciate the help, with the babies about to hatch.I helped bring some worms to the nest a few times, at the parents invitation, of course.Anyway, the babies are just about ready to fly, so I climbed up after class to wish them luck.” 

“You can talk to birds?”

“Not exactly _talk,_ no.But I understand them and they understand me, if you know what I mean. Do you?” Liz asked, regarding Barnaby through her thick-framed glasses.

“I think so,” Barnaby nodded, “Magical creatures always seemed to make sense to me.”He noticed Liz was clutching her arm.“Wait!Are you hurt? Let me see!”

“Am I?” She pulled up her sleeve.A shallow gash ran up her forearm where it had been scraped by a branch.“My shoulder feels a little bruised too, now that you mention it.”

“We should go to the hospital wing to get you cleaned up.” Barnaby got to his feet. 

Liz tried to do the same and winced.“I think my ankle is hurt too.” 

Barnaby approached her and offered his hand.She took it, breifly startling Barnaby with the softness of her skin, and managed to balance against him.“Can you make it?” he asked.

Liz smiled at him and nodded, and they crossed the lawn towards the castle.Barnaby kept his arm firmly around her waist and tried not to think about how this was the first time he’d walked arm-in-arm with a girl. _I’m just helping.It’s good to help people who are hurt._

They reached the steps that led up to the castle entrance.

“This is going to be more difficult,” mused Liz, “I’ve seen some students Wingardium Leviosa themselves, do you think…?”

Barnaby shook his head, “I’m not so good at Charms.But I could probably carry you up the stairs, no problem.I mean, if you don’t mind.”

Liz regarded his muscular, then nodded.“As long as you don’t drop me,” she chirped, wrapping her arms around his neck and allowing herself to be lifted, bridal-style, into his arms.Barnaby swiftly mounted the staircase, trying not to think about the closeness of their bodies or the scent of lake water and hay that filled his nostrils. 

“What’s your favorite class?” he asked, in an attempt to make conversation.

“Care of Magical Creatures, definitely.Though I don’t mind Herbology.Transfiguration is the only class I don’t really like- I always worry the animals we are Transfiguring might get hurt.What about you?”

“I also really like creatures,” Barnaby said, “And I don’t like classes where I have to sit still and read, so that’s… most of them.” he sighed.

“You don’t like reading?” asked Liz.

“It’s hard for me.Whenever I’m trying to read or write, I can look at the letters but they just don’t make sense, and I can never remember what they say.Merula say’s it’s just because I’m not very smart.”

“People can be smart in different ways,” said Liz, “You were the only one in our class to be able to ride a Hippogriff on the first day.And, I was a little surprised when I saw a big guy like you taking care of those tiny baby Bowtruckles.”

“I like Bowtruckles,” Barnaby said, “They’re a lot stronger than they look.And did you know that they eat all of the insects that might threaten a tree?I knew they ate insects already, but I just learned that it actually helps the trees when they do it!”

Liz beamed.“Most creatures are really important to their ecosystem!Even things we think are boring, like Flobberworms.”

Barnaby nodded.“Sure, Flobberworms turn the soil, just like any other worm.”

“A lot of people don’t know that, though!Have you read Newt Scamader’s latest publication?It talks a lot about the relationship BETWEEN different creatures, rather than just each creature’s relationship with wizardkind.”

“I… I would, but reading is…”

“Right!” Liz slumped with embarassment in Barnaby’s arms. “I didn’t mean… I’m sorry.”

They had arrived outside the hospital wing.Barnaby carefully lowered Liz to the ground and held the door open so she could hobble inside.

Madame Pomfrey was rifling through a cabinet, organizing various potions.She looked up at the two Slytherins.

“Miss Tuttle, Mr. Lee.What brings you here today.”

Liz pulled up her sleeve and showed the cut on her arm.“I also hurt my ankle.I… fell.”

“And Mr. Lee?”

“I’m ok. I just helped her get up here.”

“Good to help your friends.Now Miss Tuttle, let’s have a look.” Madame Pomfrey ushered Liz into the ward.

Barnaby sank into a chair.Madame Pomfrey had called Liz his friend.Were they friends?They were both Slytherins, they had seen each other in classes before.But Merula had always told Barnaby that she and Ismelda were his only friends.That had changed when he started to spend time with Connor and Rowan.They were always nice to him, and didn’t make him do things he didn’t want to do.Liz seemed nice too.Even nicer than the Ravenclaw boys.And she was pretty, Barnaby realized.And liked creatures and…

Barnaby gasped.He had heard classmates talking about having crushes and wanting to go on dates.He hadn’t quite understood it, certainly not when Merula wouldn’t let him spend much time with other students.Suddenly, now, though, he knew what it felt like.He wondered if Liz had ever had a crush.

The ward curtain opened and Liz appeared, looking much less disheveled than she had before.“Barnaby!You’re still here!”

He nervously ran a hand through his hair.“I thought I would wait and walk down to dinner with you.” He glanced at his watch.“We’re a little late, but the Great Hall should still have food.”

Liz beamed at him, “Sure!Pomfrey just told me to get some food soon anyway.Healing spells tend to take some energy from the recipient, so I’m pretty hungry.”

Barnaby opened the door for her.As Liz started down the corridor, she turned to him.“I was thinking.Even though you don’t like reading books, do you like listening to other people read?”

“Yeah, actually,” said Barnaby, “Do you know Rowan Khanna?He likes to read the textbooks out loud and I always feel like I understand it better when I hear it.”

“Then, maybe,” Liz shyly pushed her hands into her robe pockets and regarded him, “Maybe I could read Scamander’s new book to you, and then we can talk about it?Not a lot of people are really interested in creatures, and you seem to be, so…”

Barnaby’s face broke into a grin.“That sounds great!”

And the two fourth-year Slytherins continued to the Great Hall, both delighting in the fact that they had found someone who shared their passion.


End file.
